Overview

In 2021-2022, the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council (WDC) continued to pursue a long-term racial equity vision in tandem with near-term pandemic response and recovery. We worked with businesses, labor, charities, schools, and community partners to prioritize job quality and systems change in the local labor market.

We reached out to communities most affected by the pandemic, such as immigrants, refugees, and people of color, aligning our strategy to the priorities set forth in the Regional Strategic Plan, while closely observing ongoing labor market trends and getting community input. We also began to roll-out a new data tool to quantify and visualize disparities.

By analyzing data on job opportunities and success for different populations, the WDC aims to serve as a backbone—a chief support organization—for local efforts to address inequities in the labor market and imagine an outcome-driven system with racial equity at its core.

Stories That Inspired Us

Every year, the stories from people who participate in our programs inspire us, reveal trends in the local labor market, and illustrate the concrete impact of workforce development resources. For every “grant application,” “blended funding source,” or “service provider contract,” there are tangible human impacts that are harder to quantify, for various reasons. This year, we have chosen to lift up two stories that taught us something important about the way our system can impact the lives of individuals.

Afzal Builds a New Life

In this video, meet Afzal, a refugee from Afghanistan who arrived in King County in 2021, after being evacuated from Kabul as the country fell to the Taliban. After connecting with Neighborhood House and enrolling in services blended from local (VSHSL), state (EcSA), and federal (WIOA) Afzal was able to find a job, receive training, and cover basic costs like rent and transportation.

His story demonstrates the potential of community-based programs and the impact they can have in helping refugees and other vulnerable populations find stable employment and build a new life.

Vanessa Launches Her Career

In this interview, Vanessa takes us through her internship experiences with YouthForce at the Boys and Girls Club of King County. Starting her journey at age 16 with the Seattle Sounders, she went on to explore marketing with Molly Moon's and True North Gear. Amidst the pandemic, Vanessa reignited her passion for community advocacy, supporting students in a role back at the Boys and Girls Club before beginning an internship with Senator Patty Murray. Now at 22, Vanessa reflects on how these experiences shaped her life and advocates for more programs like the ones that helped her.

Tactical & Program Highlights

In 2021-2022, we prioritized initiatives to lay the groundwork for reimagining traditional workforce development with racial equity as the leading performance driver. These programs and initiatives pave the way for a more inclusive and resilient workforce.

Delivering Quality Services to Refugees & Immigrant Populations

Washington state has welcomed refugees from 70 countries since 1975. Each year, people from over 30 different nationalities settle here. Between October 2021 and February 2022, 3,205 Afghans arrived in Washington, with 2,583 of them settling in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. The most common languages spoken in King County (besides English) are Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali, Russian, Korean, Ukrainian, Tagalog, and Amharic Arabic.

We focused on four main goals to help immigrants and refugees: better coordination with other organizations, language support and advocacy to ensure access to services, work-based learning opportunities for skilled immigrants and professionals, and promoting digital equity by making digital services more accessible. Specific initiatives included partnering with the Washington State Refugee Coordinator’s Office, creating translation groups, connecting immigrants to job opportunities, and placing digital navigators at WorkSource locations.

Investing in Digital Equity & Infrastructure

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, service providers had to switch to remote services and online enrollment. As vaccines became available and in-person services reopened, they started offering both remote and in-person help. For those who had trouble with technology, providers gave access to devices, tech support, and other digital help. The YWCA, for instance, opened its computer labs and offered digital training. ACRS, with the help of an AmeriCorps facilitator, assisted participants facing tech barriers.

The pandemic highlighted the existing digital gap, which affected people of color, immigrants, refugees, and low-income individuals the most. We began a partnership with the Washington Service Corps to bring digital navigators to WorkSource Centers, made possible with funding from the Washington State Library. We have been working to make digital resources more accessible, creating a Digital Equity Asset Map to help people find digital resources in Seattle-King County. We also worked with community partners to design a digital needs assessment for job seekers enrolling in programs. The WDC is dedicated to closing the digital divide in the region.

Economic Security for All (EcSA)

EcSA is a Washington State program aimed at reducing poverty and expanding job opportunities for disadvantaged groups. Launched in 2019, it now covers the entire state and includes additional funds to promote innovative local program design. In Seattle-King County, we started a pilot program providing a $500 monthly stipend (with funding from JP Morgan Chase) to help participants navigate the benefits cliff and achieve financial self-sufficiency, piloting a financial benefits model in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. In collaboration with statewide partners, a proposal for a $13.8 million fund to expand EcSA using state funds was introduced, with the goal of broadening eligibility, increasing post-employment support, and enhancing business navigation assistance within one-stop career centers.

COVID-19 Disaster & Employment Recovery

The COVID-19 Disaster & Employment Recovery initiative aimed to provide relief to communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The program consisted of two related programs funded by the Department of Labor: Disaster Recovery and Employment Recovery. The Disaster Recovery program created temporary jobs, with a focus on vaccine education and food security, resulting in 26 permanent positions. Enrolled participants were offered support services, career services, and training. The Employment Recovery program focused on a person-centered approach, providing career services, training, and work-based learning opportunities to 294 participants. The program created new partnerships for work experience and on-the-job training, helping 19 participants gain new skills. The initiative emphasized community outreach, program design feedback, and communication with employer partners to create more opportunities for participants.

In one example of how the funding was used, Open Doors for Multicultural Families made an extraordinary pivot from a disability-focused non-profit into a multi-faceted relief organization, delivering nearly $9 million in rent, food, and PPE assistance to over 2,300 individuals, including people with disabilities, within just seven months. Learn more.